Todd Herlitz

Co-Founder

Chicago, Illinois, United States29 yrs 11 mos experience

Most Likely To SwitchHighly Stable

Key Highlights

Award-winning product designer with 25 years of experience.
Founder of Volume Studios, focusing on diverse product design.
Mentor for design students promoting inclusivity in the industry.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a Product Design expert with a focus on consumer goods and furniture.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

Product DesignDesign StrategyFurniture Design

Other Skills

Industrial Design3D CAD DevelopmentVisual Brand LanguageGraphic DesignSketchingDesign ManagementToysAutomotive DesignDesign ThinkingConcept DesignModel MakingKeyshotRapid PrototypingWhole LifeSketchbook Pro

About

I am an award-winning product designer with over 25 years of experience in the industry. I founded Volume Studios, a Chicago-Based independent creative group focused on product design for the consumer product, furniture, & toy industries. Prior to Volume Studios, I was the Design Director for Radio Flyer, where I led the creative development of new product concepts and developed the Visual Brand Language for Radio Flyer’s broad range of products. I love being a part of the design community and try to give back whenever I can. I’ve been a featured speaker at design conferences around the Midwest and regularly participate in portfolio reviews at design schools in the area. I’ve led sponsored design projects with ID programs around the Midwest and, along with my brother, have founded endowed scholarships for Industrial Design students at both Pratt Institute and the Cleveland Institute of Art. I am currently working with nonprofits Advanced Design and IDO to mentor design students at the High School, College, and Young Professional levels. The goal is to help create a more diverse and inclusive ID community made up of people from a wide range of backgrounds and with unique points of view. Specialties: Product Design, Toy Design, Character Design, Furniture Design

Experience

Volume studios

Owner & Principal Designer

Mar 2015 – Present · 11 yrs 1 mo · Chicago

We are a Chicago-based creative studio focused on Industrial Design & Product Development. Services include New Product Concept Development, Design Strategy, 3D CAD Development, & Visual Brand Language development. Clients include Umbra, Mars/Wrigley, Georgia-Pacific, Lifetime Brands, Safco Products, Radio Flyer, Hasbro (NERF, Playskool), Tend (Chamberlain), Mattel (Fisher-Price, Hot Wheels), MGA (Little Tikes) and Crayola. www.volume.studio

Furniture DesignProduct DesignIndustrial DesignDesign Strategy3D CAD DevelopmentVisual Brand Language

Spring modern

Owner & Principal Designer

Jan 2013 – Present · 13 yrs 3 mos · Greater Chicago Area

Independent business designing and building small furniture and home goods. Featured in Midwest Living Magazine, Retro Renovation blog, & Cool Mom Picks blog. NYCxDesign Gift Guide, & the Chicago Cultural Center Buddy Store. www.springmodern.com

Furniture Design

Radio flyer

Design Director

Dec 2008 – Feb 2015 · 6 yrs 2 mos · Chicago

I led the Design Team within the Radio Flyer Product Development group, working with both the New Product Development and Advanced Concepts teams for new product idea generation and form development. Our team developed, implemented, and managed the Radio Flyer Visual Brand Language and our branding standards. I also engaged with and managed outside design resources, from major product design firms to individual freelancers.

Optimistic llc

Principal Designer

Aug 2001 – Dec 2008 · 7 yrs 4 mos · Chicago

Independent studio focused on product, toy, and character design. Clients included Fisher-Price, Motorola, Playskool, Proctor & Gamble, Hot Wheels, and Digital Innovations. We also developed the characters for the hit children's TV show Chuggington.

Hlb, llc.

Senior Designer

Mar 2001 – Aug 2001 · 5 mos · Chicago

As a Senior Designer at HLB, I worked as part of multi-disciplinary team developing products for a wide range of clients including medical, consumer, and packaging companies. Duties included conceptual design & sketching, presentation development, prototyping and CAD development.

Insight product development

Senior Designer

Oct 1999 – Mar 2001 · 1 yr 5 mos · Chicago

My duties at Insight Product Development included participating in research prior to design phases, ergonomic studies, conceptual design & sketching, product design renderings, presentation development, and control drawing development.

Altitude, inc.

Product Designer

May 1998 – Oct 1999 · 1 yr 5 mos · Boston, MA

As part of the design team at Altitude, I was the lead designer on both production and conceptual projects for clients such as Microsoft, Symbol, Motorola, and Polaroid. Duties included conceptual design & sketching, product design, presentation development, and CAD control drawing development.

Hasbro, inc.

Designer

May 1996 – May 1998 · 2 yrs · Pawtucket, RI

I worked on the Playskool team and was the lead designer on a number of globally released products. I also helped to redefine the visual identity of the Playskool Preschool line and worked with several other brands within Hasbro.